Most people will lose at minimum one adult tooth in their adult lives. While you may consider the loss of a tooth a cosmetic issue, the failure to replace a missing adult tooth can cause several problems in your mouth. If you have lost an adult tooth or need a tooth removed, you may want to consider a single-tooth dental implant to restore your smile. Here are some things to think about:

What Happen After You Lose a Tooth?

The adult teeth serve many purposes aside from the ability to chew. The tooth roots are situated deep into the jaw to help stimulate bone growth. When the tooth falls out, the roots are not there any longer. The bone will not receive stimulation and will become weak. You could risk facial deformities, gum disease, and possibly tooth decay. While dentures can help minimize some of these problems, they often are not enough in many cases.

What Is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a long-term treatment option for tooth loss. An implant starts with the anchoring of a titanium rod into the jaw bone where the tooth used to be. The top of the rod contains a small part that holds the crown in place. The crown is made especially for the patient and is a perfect match for the rest of the teeth in the mouth.

Can You Get One Tooth Implanted?

You can get as many or as few implants as you need to restore your missing teeth. If you only have one tooth missing, you only need one implant. Many choose this route instead of veneers or dentures, as you do not need to remove any of your healthy teeth.

Why Are Single-Tooth Implants Successful?

Before you can get a dental implant, you have to go through a screening process. This process is very thorough. The orthodontics will carefully review your medical history and check your gums to ensure you have no major dental problems in other areas of your mouth. This extra screening helps to ensure your implant is successful.

What Is the Procedure Like?

A single-tooth dental implant is relatively quick as long as you do not have other dental procedures at the same time. The implant is anchored into your bone, and a temporary tooth is attached while your implant heals and grows into your jawbone. Once healed, your final crown will be attached to the rod.